Personnel such as mechanics, when servicing an automobile, often require a particular set of tools for servicing one or more aspects of an automobile. For example, when mechanics service a fuel injector of an automobile engine, there are certain tools and gauges that the mechanic will use to service the fuel injector. Some of the tools and gauges used in servicing a fuel injector may be specific to servicing fuel injectors, and may not be used for servicing other parts of an automobile. As a result of some tools being used only in specific applications, mechanics may find it desirable to group tools used for a specific task together. Keeping the tools together has the advantage in that the mechanic does not have to hunt through an entire collection of tools in order to locate the ones needed for servicing a particular aspect of an automobile.
Realizing the advantage of grouping related tools, tool manufacturing companies will sometimes package tools and gauges used for servicing a particular aspect of an automobile together and sell them as a kit for servicing that aspect. For example, tools, gauges and fittings used for servicing a fuel injector may be sold together as a kit in order to keep the tools, gauges and fittings all together. The related items may be packaged in a box or container that can also be used for storage on a long term basis rather than merely being the initial packaging for selling the related tools.
Often a mechanic may keep all the tools and other things the mechanic uses for servicing automobiles in a large toolbox. Mechanic's toolboxes are often made of steel and mounted on wheels or casters. Large toolboxes typically have the advantage of keeping all the tools together in one place. Another advantage of large toolboxes is that they may be lockable, which aids the mechanic in not having the tools misplaced or stolen. The large toolboxes often have multiple drawers for storing different tools. Many of the drawers are shallow in order to conserve space and provide ample drawers for storing many tools. One problem associated with self contained kits such as fuel injection servicing kits is that the storage case that comes with the kit can be too large to fit within the shallow drawers of the large mechanic's toolbox.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a method and apparatus that permits a kit or group of tools and related items for servicing a certain aspect of a vehicle to be contained and stored in a small storage case that is sized to fit within the shallow drawers of a mechanic's toolbox. It would be desirable for such an apparatus and method to provide the benefits of a self contained storage unit that keeps the tools, fittings and gauges necessary for servicing a particular aspect of a vehicle in one place. It would also be desirable for such an apparatus and method to fit within the large mechanic's toolbox which can provide security for the tools and also provide a common storage location with all of the other tools.